Matt Bishop, A new voice for the Forest of Dean

Matt Bishop is passionate about the Forest of Dean, it is the place where he lives and works. Matt’s experience in education, health and policing makes him a great candidate for MP. He knows how hard life has been and how public services have been broken under the Conservatives.

Matt lives in Cinderford, which is where his wife is from. They have lived there since 2007 and have two teenage children who have done all their schooling in local schools.

Matt was born in Newport, South Wales, and was brought up by his grandparents.  He says it was a home full of love and support, but they didn’t have much and he received free school meals.  He confesses to not being very engaged at school. But when Labour won in 2007 and he was in the early stages of secondary education, he became enthused and wanted to work in public service.  Matt joined the Police Force aged 18 and served in three constabularies. A serious car crash whilst on duty, that led to injuries he still lives with, eventually led to him having to give up being in the police. He is proud of his time as an officer and knows how important it is to have strong, stable and visible policing.

Since leaving the Police, Matt has worked for Children’s Social Care in Gloucestershire, and as a Tenancy Enforcement Caseworker in Social Housing. In 2020 Matt became an Education Welfare Officer at Dene Magna school in Mitcheldean.  This has given him the experience and insight into how the most vulnerable in society have been impacted by the failures of the Tories, and why he wants to bring his knowledge to work for the people of the Forest of Dean. 

He has been a local town councillor and District Councillor and serves as a governor on several primary and secondary schools.  He’s a governor of the Gloucestershire NHS Board and a trustee of an early year’s childcare setting.  His public service record speaks for itself.

He wants to be an accessible politician, who will be visible.  He’s not a slick Westminster type, he’s someone who lives locally, who wants to bring the voice of the Forest of Dean to parliament and to deliver real change.